


Lord of Vampires

by SadistiKitteh



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Character Turned Into Vampire, M/M, haunted doll - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-28 21:28:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21143492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadistiKitteh/pseuds/SadistiKitteh
Summary: Ryou returns to the haunted house, only to be surprised by the house's tenant.





	Lord of Vampires

**Author's Note:**

> Based after [this chapter during Fictober '18](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17011044/chapters/40034022). I wanted to write something halloween-y for this year, so I hope you enjoy!

Ryou had looked up the abandoned house shortly after his visit with his friends. Seeing Joey’s sudden start right at the end of the tour told him there was something there, yet nothing had appeared to him.

He knew the story surrounding it, but finding that the deed to the house had been lost was a curious fact. He was sure if that was a fact, the building would have simply been taken by the government and built over already. Yet there the building stood, untouched and left to fall apart.

He decided on one more visit on his own, strapping a recording device to himself to make notes for later research. He hadn’t been as thorough as he liked anyway, being mindful of his easily frightened cameraman.

Driving up to the house, it looked the same. The only thing different was that the door was wide open, as if inviting him inside.

Ryou double-checked for his small blade, just in case, before stepping out of his car. Once it was locked and he was sure it would be safe, Ryou carefully stepped inside the house.

What Ryou found was the doll he’d seen upstairs previously now sat on the couch, a teacup and saucer sitting in front of it. Ryou sighed, pressing the record button and putting the microphone close to his face.

“I entered the house, nothing is out of place from the previous visit except for the doll found upstairs is now on the couch. She seems to be enjoying a nice cup of tea…”

Ryou stepped closer, peeking into the teacup. “...Nothing in the cup.”

Ryou hooked the recorder back on his belt and moved into the living room, looking for any sign of documents or anything else disturbing the room. So focused on his detailed investigation, he ignored the subtle feeling of being watched.

“Found two framed mirrors on the floor and covered, I assume to protect them from shattering? I’m surprised no one has tried stealing them yet.”

“Oh, they have.”

Ryou jumped and spun around, wide eyes meeting emotionless maroon. “There used to be many more.”

The white-haired man in front of Ryou grinned, his fangs glinting in what little light was in the room. “Good evening.”

The vampire wore formal attire, complete with a vest buttoned up and black slacks that matched his shined shoes. A strange thing in such a dusty old house. Regardless, Ryou didn’t miss that aside from what he wore, he looked very similar to Ryou. He stared at his doppelganger, mouth open from shock. “So you’re what got my friend so spooked…”

The doppelganger tilted his head, then barked a single laugh. “Ah. Yes, I’m afraid that was me. It is rare I get visitors, so forgive me for not introducing myself sooner.”

Ryou licked his lips, his mouth feeling dry from the abrupt encounter. “Why show yourself now?”

He was going to get killed, wasn’t he? He couldn’t have been the first visitor this creature had.

“Curiosity.”

Ryou felt eyes roaming his body, goosebumps puckering at his skin.

“You seem unfazed by how similar we look, young one.”

Ryou blinked, drawn in by the red gaze of the other man’s eyes. “I… we’re not.”

“Close enough,” the other man said, stepping closer, “enough that perhaps you may hear whispers behind your back? Enough for people to distance themselves from you if they recognize your likeness?”

In Ryou’s peripheral vision, he saw the doll’s head slowly turn in his direction.

“I haven’t decided yet...if you are a threat or a boon to me.”

A crash reverberated the room, causing both Ryou and the vampire to jump. Shards of ceramic littered the floor, both tea cup and saucer shattered on the floor.

The vampire cursed, swiftly picking up a bin from one side of the room before kneeling down. Ryou watched a moment, the realization that he was muttering numbers under his breath as he picked up pieces dawning on him.

Ryou looked at the doll, who still stared in his direction but had her hands sitting at her sides like nothing had been touched.

“Thank you.” Ryou whispered to the doll, in awe of how much activity he’d just witnessed in what he thought was in an abandoned house.

“Ungrateful child.” He heard his doppelganger mumble, pausing a moment before growling and dumping the shards back on the floor.

Ryou would have been amused, had it not confirmed for him what this man was. He gently picked up the doll, and felt the vampire’s gaze burning into his face. “You’re a pretty doll. Whoever you belonged to must have loved you very much.”

The presence in the doll gave him so many emotions in rapid succession that Ryou was frozen in place. Unable to handle so much at once, he quickly placed the doll back on the chair, as gently as he was able to.

A snort came from the floor and Ryou glared at the vampire. “Why are you keeping that spirit trapped?”

Ryou watched as the vampire got up from the floor, dusting off his trousers. The shards were picked clean, it was like nothing had been dropped. The vampire did not answer Ryou’s question.

“That doll does not like just anyone, so you will be spared.”

“How do you–?”

The vampire glowered at Ryou, sneering. ‘Okay, not my business, got it.’

“What you will do is simple: Take this deed,” The vampire reached into his vest pocket and held out an old, folded document, “claim you are the owner and the deed was passed on by your deceased relative. Only then will I allow you to leave.”

Ryou blinked, carefully taking the folded paper and staring at it. “...You’re Lord Baku.”

The man snorted at the name, sneering. “What?”

“The last to have this deed, he’d never been seen or heard from after his purchase, they tried to sell the house, but anyone who was interested…”

Ryou looked up in shock, staring at the annoyed expression of the other man.

“...Speak of this to anyone, and I will find you.”

Ryou didn’t need more convincing, turning and running out of the house. He could have done as asked and never returned, but he had better plans. He knew it would take more than just claiming to be the deed owner to erase the town’s curiosity of the long abandoned house.

* * *

Lord Baku glowered from the shadows of his home as he watched the boy’s car pull into the lot. He watched a moment as he brought in various items from the back of his vehicle. He glared at Ryou from the shadows until he finally couldn’t take it. “Why have you returned here, I told you to leave!”

Ryou spun around and smiled– _smiled_– as he set down a ladder. “I was going to come find you, this house is sturdy, right? I don’t need to check for mold or–”

“You were supposed to leave! I could have killed you, foolish child!”

Ryou blinked, then sighed. “Okay. People don’t just stop believing in this stuff because someone claims the house. I fix it up and people will stop breaking in or bothering you. You’re lucky no one’s taken your sister.”

Lord Baku looked stunned, then sneered. “There’s a reason no one has, mortal.”

Ryou flinched under Baku’s red hot glare. “I’m showing my appreciation in letting me go, I’m trying to help.”

Lord Baku continued to glare, before looking at the things Ryou had gathered. “...Fine. But once you have finished, you will leave.”

* * *

Ryou did expect it to take some time, but with Baku watching almost his every move was difficult to ignore. Today he would try to ignore the vampire, only revealing what his plans that day were. He felt the vampire’s gaze fiercely as he entered the room with the doll, kneeling in front of her.

“I’m going to give you a few toys my sister used to have, if that’s okay.”

Lord Baku froze at the door, this being the first time Ryou had ever mentioned anything about himself.

“And I’m going to paint this room, if that’s okay. Here…”

Ryou set down colour swatches on their sides, setting down a light stick in between. “You pick the colour.”

Ryou watched as the small stick wiggled, then pointed at a dark green, before rolling toward a light blue, and then a bright red. Ryou smiled, unaware of Lord Baku’s glare softening some. “It’s hard to choose, huh? What about I paint one wall like a field of red flowers, would you like that?”

Ryou chuckled quietly at the doll trying to nod, an arm waving up and down. Ryou circled the chosen colours and picked up the swatches. As he stood up, he realized the vampire had vanished.

Ryou blinked, surprised he was trusted so readily with the doll. “Ahh...I’ll draw something up and I’ll show you later, okay?”

He was about to leave when Lord Baku abruptly appeared, a children’s book in hand and face a neutral mask. He stepped around Ryou, showing a page of the book to the doll. The doll didn’t move, but the vampire seemed to get his answer all the same.

Lord Baku held out the book, showing Ryou the page. “Like this. She wants it like this.”

Ryou nodded, taking the book as he looked at the page. It was a field of wildflowers, with a hare perked up in it at the bottom of the page and a little girl running through the field. He pulled out his cellphone to take pictures, handing the book back to Lord Baku once it was done.

“...You never mentioned you had a sister.”

Ryou looked up, smiling a little. “I don’t talk about her a lot.”

And that’s all he said as he turned to leave.

* * *

Ryou finished the last touches of the wall, and sat back to admire his work. He’d made it so the dark green opened up to bushes and trees, revealing the field on the other wall. He’d set a box on a chair and away from the paints, another gift he’d decided on as a thank you for the little doll’s hard work in communicating to him.

Lord Baku stepped in then, admiring the wall before nodding. He seemed to hesitate before speaking. “Thank you.”

Ryou looked up, surprised to see some fond sadness in the vampire’s face. “It’s nothing. I hope she likes my sister’s toys too. That way she won’t just be stuck in an empty, boring room.”

Lord Baku looked conflicted, before growling as if warding off whatever he was feeling. “It’s not nothing, it’s more than I ever did for her.”

Ryou stood slowly, looking at the vampire. “If...it means anything? I think she’s happy with what you did all the same.”

Lord Baku bore his fangs, causing Ryou to unconsciously step back. “What I _did_ got her stuck in that doll in the first place! She can’t see our family, she stays eternally with me and I cannot die!”

Ryou’s heart ached for Lord Baku; though he ached to ask what had happened, he knew it was the emotional build up that caused the vampire’s outburst. He suspected the spirit was someone important to Baku, something he likely didn’t intend to let Ryou know. And well...if he let that much slip…

“I thought it was my fault my mother crashed the car, because I was fighting with my sister.”

Lord Baku was quiet, his gaze now on Ryou. Ryou avoided eye contact, not wanting to let him see the guilt still there.

“They died years ago. I still sometimes wonder if I could’ve done anything different, but I know I can’t.”

“You eventually get to see them. You didn’t curse yourself or your sister, you’ll get to meet her. If my body is destroyed…”

Ryou bit his lip, taking a chance in taking Lord Baku’s hand. It was cold, almost like a corpse, yet not as clammy. Both men stared at the clasped hands, taking in the strange yet familiar sensation before realizing what they were doing.

Ryou pulled away quickly, muttering an apology under his breath as he bent to pick up the box. “If it’s okay, I made her a gift.”

Lord Baku stared at Ryou now, confused. “Why?”

Ryou shifted on his feet and shrugged. “I don’t know if she has any other clothes than what she has, so…”

Ryou decided to open the box, letting Lord Baku look inside. Ryou had made a couple doll dresses, including the one he saw drawn on the little girl in the book. Lord Baku’s hands stilled when he noticed it.

“I figured that was her favourite book, and it’s not perfect, but–”

Ryou didn’t get to finish, gasping as he was swept into a passionate kiss. Ryou all but dropped the box, slowly setting it aside as the kiss deepened. He refused it to himself, but he was drawn to Lord Baku in a way he couldn’t convince himself to be just a lure anymore. Not when Lord Baku wanted him gone, not when he didn’t watch over Ryou as much as he had when he first started working on the house.

It was Lord Baku that tore away first, leaving Ryou gasping and trembling slightly. The first thing he saw, however, was pure fear of Baku’s face. Ryou’s stomach dropped. “Wait–”

Lord Baku ran to the end of the hall, ripping open a window and leaping out. When Ryou got to the window, all he could see was a large bat flying off into the night, taking Ryou’s heart with him.

* * *

Lord Baku avoided him the rest of the time he spent there fixing up the house, making Ryou miss the feeling of being watched. He never got an explanation, but guessed it hurt Baku to feel anything more than apathy for a mortal.

He got why, yet it still hurt all the same.

He was surprised when Baku agreed to finally show the doll her finished room, as well as the gifts Ryou made for her. It seemed like the awkwardness was forgotten, and Ryou tried hard not to admire the very rare smile on Lord Baku’s face from whatever reaction the doll had seeing her room for the first time.

Ryou couldn’t help but smile, he could feel her excited energy around the room.

He picked up the box and held it out to her, trying not to flinch when Lord Baku realized he was so close. “I made you a gift as well, I didn’t know if you like to dress up but I hope you still like them.”

Lord Baku opened the box, revealing the first two dresses to small waves of the doll’s arms and another wave of excitement in the room. The moment he pulled out the dress he copied from the book, the doll froze. Ryou held his breath, not feeling any change in the air. The doll’s head moved to look up at him, then held its arms up.

Ryou hesitated, setting the box down and glancing at Lord Baku. His face was guarded, but he nodded. Ryou didn’t want to touch the doll since learning of her importance to Baku, and he was relieved he was still trusted enough.

The moment Ryou picked up the doll, he had to take a step back to brace himself as a wall of energy hit him. It felt like arms wrapped around his shoulders and he was stunned to be able to hear a voice.

“_Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love it, brother Ryou!_”

Between hearing the voice, being called brother for the first time since his sister died, and the growing excitement from the spirit in the doll, Ryou had to choke back a sob. The arms hesitated, but he only hugged the doll back; gently as not to hurt her. “Y-You’re welcome.” Ryou whispered, letting a tear or two slip down his cheeks.

Lord Baku gently pulled the doll away, letting Ryou recover from the sudden emotional outburst. Ryou felt embarrassed, then guilty when he heard the voice again.

“_I didn’t mean to scare him, brother._” The spirit said, the doll’s head looking at the floor.

“You didn’t, don’t worry.” Lord Baku soothed, a tone he hadn’t heard from the vampire before.

Ryou sniffled, wiping his eyes. “I’m not scared, or upset. I just...I haven’t been called that in a long time.”

Lord Baku hesitated, and while Ryou couldn’t hear the voice now, he knew she was demanding the vampire fix it. Ryou decided to try reassuring her, not wanting to trouble Lord Baku. “It’s fine, I’m okay, really.”

Ryou gave the doll a watery smile. “I’m glad you liked the dresses so much.”

Lord Baku set down the doll and walked to Ryou, worrying a lip with a fang and somehow not piercing skin. The next thing Ryou knew, the vampire kissed his cheek before pulling him into a hug. Ryou froze, again caught off guard by the affection. “Lord Baku…”

“You can just call me Baku, Ryou.”

It was the first time he heard his name from the vampire’s mouth. Whatever protest he had died on Ryou’s tongue. He hugged back, burying his face into the cold neck. Ryou could almost feel the warmth from Baku’s body against his; not realizing that it was his own warmth being reflected back against his skin.

* * *

“Do you not go out to feed, Baku?”

Baku looked at Ryou, who was just finishing the varnish on the old table of the dining room, giving it a new sheen. “Not while you’re here.”

“I just realized I’ve never seen you feed, and I haven’t heard anything in the town since I’ve been here about bites or anything.”

Baku frowned, and looked away. “I promised her I would stop feeding on humans the first time she saw me. I don’t break my promises.”

Ryou cleaned off his hands, frowning. “So what do you feed on?”

“Wildlife, cattle, it makes me feel ill after but I’m fed.”

Ryou’s frown deepened, yet his cheeks flushed at what he was about to suggest. “You can control how much, right?

Baku’s head whipped around and he snarled. “You dare tempt–”

The words died on his tongue as Ryou exposed his neck. His throbbing, juicy pulse revealed with a small tilt of Ryou’s head. Baku felt his mouth water and his fangs ache as Ryou tilted his head further.

“I have an iron deficiency, so it might taste different. Don’t worry, I took iron pills and I have plenty of juice and cooked steak in the fridge if I’m able to keep food down–”

Baku shoved Ryou enough to make him stumble so he no longer had to look at the pulse of his now boyfriend. He was shaking, and Ryou immediately regretted his action. “I’m sorry, I thought…”

“You _didn’t_ think! What if I had killed you? I never said I could control it, what if I wasn’t able to?! I refuse to cause anyone else I care for to die.”

Baku growled and stormed to the basement, leaving Ryou alone.

Ryou wondered, for an embarrassing moment, if feeding from a human was as intimate as it’s portrayed if not more so. Or perhaps he feared the spirit in the doll seeing and being upset. He was sure during their first meeting the vampire planned to drink from him anyway, what made it different?

Only then was he reminded of the fact that Baku was worried he couldn’t control himself. Ryou felt guilty then, realizing what could have happened if he wasn’t able to. He needed to apologize.

Ryou headed down to the basement, blinking what he saw when looking past the boxes and still-tattered drapery.

It was, for lack of a better description, like what one would expect a shrine to a vampire to look like. Sheer red fabric and black silk draped the walls of the closet-sized space, a lantern lit giving the room an eerie atmosphere.

Lord Baku sat on a pile of what looked to be furs, though Ryou could see a corner of a tattered pillow sticking out from under the fur. Baku himself was draped in a dark blue jacket, which would have looked black had it not been for the lanterns showing it’s true colour.

Ryou took a step inside, freezing when Baku whipped his head around.

“Don’t get any closer.” Baku hissed, eyes somewhat glowing in the lantern light.

Ryou sighed, slumping his shoulders. “You were right, Baku. I wasn’t thinking, I’m sorry. But...the offer still stands.”

Ryou looked away, rubbing his arm. “We’ll be safe about it–”

“There is nothing safe about me, Ryou. Or did you forget _what_ I am?”

Baku seemed to shrink under the jacket, snarling at the wall. “Our relationship doesn’t change that. I can lose control, I have killed, and I won’t hurt you.”

“You’ve only ever fed on humans to kill, haven’t you?”

Baku glared at Ryou, but it was enough for him. Ryou sat next to Baku, looking him in the eye. “If you’re full now, enough to ignore what I did, I think you can at least try.”

Baku growled in protest, but Ryou took his hand. “I trust you, Baku.”

Ryou rolled up his sleeve enough to bare out his wrist, and held it out. “If it’s too much, we don’t have to do it. I ate plenty, so I should be okay.”

Baku took the arm, his fangs were frightening but he only scraped them gently over Ryou’s wrist. Ryou shivered from it, like the tip of a needle teasing over his skin. Just when he thought Baku would pull away, Ryou felt a pinch in his wrist and gasped, a wave of dizziness hitting at the first sucking sensation.

Baku must have felt it, because as soon as the fangs pierced they were gone. Baku lapped the blood still dripping as the pierced skin healed, and Ryou watched in fascination. Despite the wave of dizziness before, he only felt a small bit of fatigue.

After the shock wore off, Ryou smiled, looking into Baku’s eyes which were now blown wide. Out of fear or excitement, he couldn’t tell. “You didn’t kill me, Baku. You won’t hurt me.” Ryou said softly.

Baku’s shaking hands pushed Ryou’s arm away, and then hugged himself. He could still taste Ryou’s blood on his tongue, it was more bitter to him than any animals had been. But he had been able to control himself, though he wasn’t so confident about if he could when actually hungry. “I could. I still could.” He whispered, licking his lips.

Ryou saw in Baku’s body language that he still needed more, so he carefully got to his feet. “I’m going to have lunch, and then I’ll let you have more. Umm...how did I taste?”

Baku gave Ryou an annoyed look, then snorted, curling up more. “Bitter.”

“Lemon bitter, or I-just-drank-bad-milk bitter?”

Another annoyed look, then a sigh. “Like blood.”

“Huh.” Ryou didn’t know what else to say, so he left Baku to think and to get himself lunch.

* * *

It was in the middle of replacing wallpaper that Baku approached Ryou. Deciding to help and speed things along, Ryou gave him a quick rundown on how it worked. Baku seemed only half interested, but followed the directions well.

Ryou was somewhat caught off guard when Baku finally spoke. “You are aware the spirit of my sister lives in that doll, yes?”

Ryou froze, then carefully continued his work. “I suspected she was family, yes.”

A lapse of silence. Ryou glanced at the stairs, wondering if he would see the doll sitting on the stairs. The quiet echo of a music box told him she was busy with Amane’s jewelry box at the moment.

“I made a deal with Necrophades to spare her, in exchange he could have me in his service.”

Ryou stopped fully, staring at Baku as he continued putting up the wallpaper.

“He turned me, then made me watch my sister die and put into her favourite toy. Made her pick it out and everything. He already fed from my parents, I didn’t know they were still alive. He made me finish them off for my first feeding. I kept that to myself for thousands of years.”

Ryou dropped the brush in his hands, and only then did Baku look up. “Baku…”

“Don’t.” Baku grit out, looking away and hunching his shoulders, “It’s past now, it showed me what I agreed to; who I made a deal with. You should know what kind of monster I am.”

“How old were you?”

Baku was quiet for a moment, continuing to paint as he debated telling Ryou.

“Seventeen. My sister was going to turn eight that year.”

“You couldn’t have known, you were trying to save your sister.”

Baku stared at the wall, arms frozen mid-work. “She saw me feed from them, Ryou. He made her watch.”

Arms wrapped around his middle, and Baku found himself falling back into the body they belonged to. Ryou just held him, Baku’s head hung low and his hair obscuring his face.

“I got my revenge, I drove a stake into his heart.” Baku snarled, the words spilling out painfully now that he had someone to hear him, “But it was too late for us, we’re cursed and I’ve become the new Lord of Vampires. That’s what happens when another vampire kills their master, Ryou. Necrophades is gone but I remain.”

Ryou had wanted to find Necrophades himself, planning his personal revenge for his boyfriend’s sake. But the knowledge Baku dropped wiped those plans immediately. Ryou felt helpless, but knew this was the first Baku had spoke of it since it happened and needed someone to hear more than take action.

So he let Baku speak, and listened, and kissed his cold cheeks and held his body until he could feel his own body heat on Baku’s body.

“She was so excited when you first showed up.”

“Your sister?”

Baku nodded. “You were the first human to address her and not her as the doll.”

Ryou chuckled. “Is that why she was on the couch when I came back?”

“She wanted to see if you’d play with her.”

“Do you play with her?”

Baku went quiet, then hung his head again. “No. I only read to her when it’s storming.”

“I have more books I used to read to Amane. I can bring them over.”

Baku shook his head, trying to mask a pained expression. “Once the house if finished, you leave. I told you. We only have this left and then your little renovation is finished.”

Ryou moved to face Baku, a small playful smile on his face. “Well, I would be a poor landlord if I didn’t take care of the house I own, wouldn’t I?”

Baku stared at Ryou, confused.

“After all, I’m responsible for the repairs and I would want my tenants to be happy. You should be expecting visits from me more often.”

Baku looked more confused, then it melted into an incredulous smile and laugh. Baku held Ryou tight, playfully dragging his fang gently over Ryou’s lip and delighting in the shiver he felt run through Ryou’s body.

“Whatever satisfies you, _landlord_~”

Ryou laughed, peppering kisses over Baku’s face despite the chill it left on his lips. Perhaps it would be awkward to explain to his friends in the future how he hooked up with the Lord of Vampires, but in the moment? Ryou didn’t care.

And quiet as ever, the doll watched from the top of the stairs, happy to see her brother laugh again for the first time in years.

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for how many breaks there are, I didn't realize how many until editing it and I don't know how to cut them down;;
> 
> Ahh first time with any kind of AU like this, it was meant to be just a short thing but had a story of it's own to tell, so I couldn't ignore that :P


End file.
